New data continues to confirm the gap in the main peak of planets of sunlike stars

The semi-major axes of planets found by radial velocity since 2019 continue to fall in the peaks but not the gaps of the peak-gap-peak feature of planets of stars most like the sun and are of solar or greater metallicity, further confirming Taylor (2019). The prediction that proto-planetary disks (PPDs) should show signs of this gap has now been supported by the discovery that the solar system’s own PPD had a gap between its inner and outer disks.

We present analysis of the PGP with the newest data, which continue to show the gap peak boundary has a dependence on the square root of the stellar mass.

Significant correlations of eccentricity with other parameters appear when comparing this population with similar populations. We discuss correlation-relationships of eccentricity with other parameters: Metallicity, planet statistical density, stellar multiplicity, presence of a hot Jupiter, and planet mass.

Implications for planet formation and evolution will be discussed. We hypothesize that the gap is not erased by planet formation due to it being too large for planets on opposite sides of the gap to induce migration into the gap. Due to conservation of angular momentum, planets in the peaks may only migrate away from the gap.